Worlds Collided
by Lion's Song
Summary: During an assignment in the Haven City sewers, Jak stumbles upon a portal that throws him into the Forbidden Lands... and into a mission as colossal as the beasts he must help slay. A Jak and Daxter/SotC crossover.
1. Intro and Notes

**Disclaimer (applies for all chapters!):** I do not own _Shadow of the Colossus_ or the _Jak and Daxter_ series, nor do I own Jak, Daxter, Wander, Mono, Dormin, Agro, Loki, or the Colossi. The settings and characters are property of their rightful owners: Sony, Team Ico, Naughty Dog, etc. I do, however, own Kyros and the other characters appearing later in this trilogy.

**Intro**

Hey there, SotC fandom! I have been wanting to do a retelling of the epic story of SotC for quite some time, because the tale is just so inspiring and majestic – how could a writer resist? While thinking one day, the idea jumped into my head to do a crossover. I am a huge fan of both _Shadow of the Colossus_ and the _Jak and Daxter_ series, so... I decided to take our stoic hero Jak, plop him into the Forbidden Lands, and watch what happened.

Now, even if you haven't played any of the _Jak and Daxter_ games, you could still enjoy this trilogy. It's just _Shadow of the Colossus_ with another Colossus-slayer, albeit one who can add some comic relief to the otherwise solemn tale of our beloved Wander.

I'll say ahead of time, though, that I have altered the story of SotC a bit. But you'll only notice this at the end of this book. The changes continue throughout the next two books, however. So if you're a diehard fan of the _Shadow of the Colossus_ ending, and you don't approve of how I've changed things, you can read book one of this trilogy and then just not continue with books two and three. But give my spin a chance – I think it's worthy of at least that!

Otherwise, enjoy the _Worlds Collided_ trilogy! And as you read and review, feel free to share your personal stories with the Colossi and exploring the Forbidden Lands. I love hearing about the experiences others go through, as I have a few myself. All part of the fun and uniqueness of this game. :)

**Notes**

- In _Shadow of the Colossus_, takes place after Wander has defeated the first two Colossi.

- In the _Jak and Daxter_ series, takes place during _Jak II._

- Lord Emon and his lovely crew do not appear in this fic; that's part of how the story is changed.

**And now the trilogy begins.**


	2. Ch 1: Haven City

_**Chapter One - Haven City**_

Jak couldn't see anything but the bobbing glow of skull gems as the frog-like Metal Heads hopped toward him. This was his only indication of where the creatures were. As he ran, he took them out by firing his scatter gun until the gems bounced lightly on the metal floor.

"That looks like the last of 'em," said the orange ottsel perched on his shoulder. "Let's find that last turret and get outta this disgusting sewer."

As Jak walked forward, there was still no light source up ahead. But he knew they had taken the right path when gunshots filled the air; he must have tricked the sensor that set off the turret. It was firing blind shots down a long hallway toward them, but they were tucked around a corner.

"Okay, Dax," Jak began, placing his back up against the wall and turning his head to his friend, steeling him. "Let's go."

He jumped out behind the corner and raced forward, fully tuned in to where the bullets were going. He leapt above the gunfire but kept moving. Daxter was clinging for dear life to his shoulder, but Jak couldn't tell whether or not the ottsel had his eyes closed. It was probably best he did.

Jak pivoted sharply to the right, just barely missing a bullet that nearly clipped his forearm. With each step amid the chaos he drew closer to the firing turret. He started shooting his scatter gun randomly ahead of him, and heard bullets hit metal as the turret was being weakened. Suddenly he stopped and knelt down, keeping his squinted eyes focused on the target ahead. He maintained a good distance from the turret, for explosion was imminent.

Finally a massive _'BANG'_ filled the corridors of the sewer below Haven City, and then all fell silent. Jak rose on shaky legs and moved forward past the smoking remains of the turret, as eager as his friend to be back above ground.

"Ugh, that Krew guy is already gettin' on _my_ nerves," Daxter quipped, jumping down off of Jak's shoulder. "Makin' us do all the dirty work while he sits around in his pub eatin' half the food in the whole city."

Jak smirked, but bitterly. "Well, that's what we're good for, Dax," he responded. "Dirty work. It's our specialty."

Suddenly, something in the corner of his eye caught Jak's attention. When he turned his head to the right, he saw glittering beams of light shimmering above the metal floor. It was the only bright light in this part of the sewer, and it seemed to be coming from a source below. He veered away from the path and left Daxter muttering something he didn't hear as he approached the beams. It seemed like the emitting light grew brighter and the rays grew stronger as he came closer to them.

"Daxter, look at this!"

The ottsel turned his head and stopped talking, a quizzical expression crossing his face as he bounded over. "What the…?"

Looking closer, Jak noticed that the light was filtering up in the shape of a circle. Curiosity drew him and he stepped in the center of it. Suddenly the light beams started dancing around, playing off of the walls and growing brighter every second. They shot up further, creating a sort of light cylinder around him; and musical notes filled the air.

"Jak, get outta there!" Daxter yelled above the noise, which was equivalent to chimes wavering in the breeze. But when Jak tried to move, it was as if every limb was rooted to the spot. The light seemed to have some immobilizing effect on him. Panic surged through his veins.

"I can't, Dax! It's trapping me!" he bellowed, his deep voice laced with fear. "What is it?!" But neither of the unlikely heroes could answer that question.

Jak felt himself being lifted off the ground, but he couldn't even move his head to look down. He shifted his eyes over to Daxter, who was yelling something else, but the frantic music drowned out the ottsel's words. Suddenly a great roar sounded in the corridors, and then it all stopped. Just like that. The light faded, the music faded.

But so did Jak.

Daxter stared on in horror at nothing but a wall. Jak had simply vanished without a trace.


	3. Ch 2: The Forbidden Lands

**Chapter Two - The Forbidden Lands**

The hawk drew lazy circles in the sky, air thermals carrying it higher as the wind stirred its downy feathers. It flew above the vast expanse of plain and desert; of forest and water. Nearby were its fellow birds of prey, its kin, following the same cyclical motion far above the terrain. Above the towering mountain ranges it soared, forever bound to the clouds and the azure heavens from which it observed the earth below with an ever-watchful eye.

Wander knew the largeness of these lands already. He felt small, a tiny speck in a world of nature's massive creations; of an ancient people's towering temples. And he should never forget that he was merely an intruder on lands ruled by mountainous giants. He often wondered how it would feel to fly like these hawks. Would he then fully understand how massive these lands were? He hadn't nearly explored half of it, and yet he felt as if he'd gone a million miles already.

Exhaustion crept over him like the subtle blanket of night, weakening his limbs and numbing his mind. The reluctant hero was no stranger to this feeling. Every time he brought one of those massive beasts down, those walking mountains called Colossi, the adrenaline which gave him strength to fight seemed to just drain from his veins. He would rest for a day or two, and then continue on this fated mission. It had only been just under a day since he'd defeated the second Colossus, the slow-moving Taurus Major called Quadratus. Still fourteen more waited for him somewhere in the depths of this cursed world.

Wander slowly rose from his seated position by one of the two staircases in the stone temple where he stayed day after day. It was the Shrine of Worship, where he had arrived when first coming to the Forbidden Lands. Where he sought out the supernatural being Dormin, and where his quest had first been assigned to him. That day changed the future and it changed the past. For he knew that after all was said and done, after he had fulfilled the task of bringing down these sixteen beasts, he would never be the same. That was okay with him.

It was okay because of the driving force behind all this. The reason he came here, the reason he was fighting. Wander walked slowly over toward the flat stone slab in front of him and fixed his gaze on the fair-skinned woman lying lifeless upon it. She was his lover and his purpose. He could blame her for the sacrifices ahead, but he never would. He would do anything to once again feel her soft touch, and the comforting warmth of her breath on his neck. This was why he had come. He reminded himself every day that his quest was not in vain. The thought of her living again was the one thought on his mind every hour, every minute, every second. This was all worth it for her, his beloved Mono.

And how could he forget the one making this all possible? Wander turned and looked fondly at his one and only companion in this lonely world. The ebony stallion standing not far away kept him sane through the insanity that was his task. Without his steed Agro, this mission would never be deemed possible. He would be truly alone if not for this wonderful animal. He could do nothing without Agro. He would be nowhere, only lost in the depths of his grief.

These two beings were the fuel to Wander's fire. If he did not have a will otherwise, Mono and Agro would give his desperate mind this power. Determination crossed his weathered face. When he doubted himself and this task, all he needed to do was think of his lover and his steed. All would be well, then.

As Wander looked at Agro, he suddenly saw a look of discomfort cross the stallion's face. Nervously the horse nickered and started slowly backpedaling, casting fleeting glances to the light-filled, circular hole just above them; carved into the ceiling of the Shrine. It was where Dormin's voices would sound when They talked to Wander, telling him in cryptic riddle form where to find the next Colossus. But Dormin had already given Wander information about the fourth Colossus when he returned to the Shrine after defeating Quadratus. What could They want?

"What is it, boy?" Wander tentatively asked, stretching out his hand to the stallion. "Why are—"

His second question was quickly cut off as a steady rumbling filled the walls of the stone temple. Wander's heart leapt in fear – this had never happened before. Were the walls about to cave in? Was the temple, his sanctuary, about to collapse and leave him homeless?

He took Agro's reins with his outstretched hand and tried gathering the spooked horse to him. He was about to grab Mono, mount his steed and flee when Dormin's dream-like voice echoed off the walls of the temple.

**"Wander…"**

Wander glanced up warily. "Dormin? What is happening?"

There was no reply. The rumbling grew louder and the floor of the Shrine began to quake, as if the earth was about to swallow up the entire structure. Agro, however strong his will was to run, stayed faithfully by his master. Wander's hand was still gripped tightly around the horse's reins. He'd never let go.

His eyes were fixed on the circle, his heart pounding like thunder across the land. He found it difficult to keep his footing on the shaking stone, but he held on to Agro for support. As Wander watched in astonishment, a body came slowly floating down from the circle of light. He squinted to get a closer look and studied the body in more detail.

This was a muscular-looking man, dressed in a cobalt blue long-sleeved shirt and pants like the color of desert sand. He wore boots that were squared at the toes, with protective braces over them. He had a travel sack at his hip and armored gloves that extended from his forearms to his palms, leaving slits for his fingers to poke through. One shoulder was guarded by the same solid metal. There was a red cloth around his neck, and goggles around his forehead. The man had blonde hair slicked back, and a tuft of facial hair dotted his chin. But what Wander noticed most of all was the man's abnormally huge pointed ears. They stuck out on either side and were extremely hard to ignore.

Wander knew this man was not dead, for his body was not limp. He was very awake. He appeared to be immobile, but his dark-colored eyes were darting back and forth rapidly. They came to rest on Wander with hostile apprehension, and the Colossi-Slayer glanced away momentarily. What was going on?

The man was laid down softly on the stone floor, and immediately he jumped to his feet. As Wander watched, he put his hand down by his hip and grabbed air. Glancing down, the man appeared to be shocked and horrified to find that whatever he was searching for wasn't there anymore. There was fire in his eyes as he looked at Wander again, but Wander could sense vulnerability pulsating from him.

"Who the hell are you, where the hell am I, and what the _hell_ is going on?!" the man demanded, and his deep, gravely tone caught Wander off guard. Rather, it was the anger that startled him most. He didn't know how to react, but he did know he couldn't answer the question. It had been forever since Wander had interacted with another human. If this male was even _human_ at all. He couldn't take his eyes off those strange ears.

"**Thou hast been sent here to complete a task…"** Dormin said, startling Wander. The man looked up as well, far more apprehensive than Wander. He nearly collapsed on the floor, and was scanning the ceiling as if he'd see Dormin appearing from somewhere. Wander knew better than that.

"Me?" the man asked, incredulous. His attention was drawn from Wander to the circle of light.

Wander didn't know what to make of this. What did They mean? What was the motive for sending this strange man into the Forbidden Lands? His head was swimming as he awaited Dormin's next words. His heart was heavy with dread.


	4. Ch 3: A Burden Split in Two

**Chapter Three - A Burden Split in Two**

It was impossible for Jak to place another single moment in his lifetime when the man had felt so vulnerable. Perhaps it was when he was taken prisoner to the Baron Praxis after first arriving in Haven City. But even that seemed miniscule compared to all of this. He escaped from the Baron; here he seemed utterly trapped.

His eyes focused briefly on the man standing a little ways away from him. A man, maybe, but he seemed to be younger than Jak. He was clutching at a black horse, holding onto its reins for dear life. If _he_ was afraid and he seemed to belong here, Jak didn't know what to expect.

To have his scatter gun missing was enough. But he had just been tossed into a world so different from the one he knew, with not a clue as to why he was here. That seemed to happen to him a lot, but that wasn't to say it ever got any easier. The mysterious voice coming from the ceiling hadn't yet answered his question. What task? What was he really doing here?

Jak seemed to have thought too soon when finally the disembodied voice began to speak again. The manner in which it did sent shivers down his spine; it was so hollow and yet spooky all at once. It sounded as if two people were speaking, a man and a woman, and yet it was one voice.

**"The task that shall be given to thee is one that will be shared…"** the voice droned on. **"This youth hath been sent on the same path, and yet he will need more than what he thinks to complete it… You, Jak, shall be the one to accompany him…"**

Jak looked over towards the horse and the man, assuming him to be this 'youth' that the voice talked about. The gasped, and Jak saw realization flash in his eyes. He seemed to know what the voice was talking about. And yet Jak, too disoriented to question how his name was known, still had no idea.

He was aware then of objects floating down from the cylinder of light, strangely similar to the one that had essentially taken him captive in the Haven City sewers. His thick eyebrows furrowed as he studied each one. The first was a shiny blade attached to a strange rod, a solid handle of some sort. The blade was sharp, and etched with markings that were as alien to Jak as this whole experience. This was set on the ground and followed closely by another object.

This next one appeared to be painstakingly crafted from wood which was curved twice in a delicate fashion. A string connected the two ends of the carved wood. Floating directly next to this strange item were innumerable straight stick-looking objects. At one end they were crude and pointed, and at the other lined with four strands of feathers. These two items were placed gently next to the handled blade.

**"These weapons, a bow and a sword, shall aid thee in thy quest… Only they hath the ability to bring down the giants that rule these lands, the Colossi…"**

Jak's heart leapt. These items, a so-called 'bow' and 'sword', were given to him so he could supposedly bring down giants called 'Colossi'. He didn't like the sound of that at all. If this was supposed to be any sort of confirmation to this task given to him, Jak didn't think it was helping at all. Then the voice spoke again, this time addressing the youth, who Jak had gathered was called Wander.

**"Wander… We hath sent thee a companion in these cursed lands… You shall be a teacher to this pupil, explain to him the ways of the Forbidden Lands; the ways of the Colossi… He will not know how to use the weapons hither, nor know how to mount and direct a loyal steed… The burden of your quest is split in two…"**

Wander let go of his horse as Jak felt the ground of this strange temple stop rumbling. He stared at the light as if in awe of it, but Jak could tell that he was wary of the entire thing. There was no solace in this fact. Instead of questioning the voice, however, the youth went on as if he understood the situation. _Now I'm the only one left in the dark, _Jak thought bitterly as he looked on in silence.

"And where will I find another horse for him?" Wander questioned.

**"Horse herds roam the earth here… Ever elusive, thou hast never seen them… One, a snowy steed dappled with the hues of the desert, shall be Jak's mount… This stallion is named Kyros, he will come to thee in due time… I wish good luck and fortunes for thee in this quest… But luck may not be what can help…"**

And with this ominous message, Jak saw the light in the circular hole fade. It seemed that the voice was gone, and yet so many questions were left unanswered. What Jak noticed the most, now that the voice was gone, was the silence that suddenly filled the halls of this temple. All he could hear was the wind howling from outside. It was a strange feeling, a strange sound, so different from the bustling metropolis of Haven City or the friendly chatters of life in Sandover Village. Suddenly Jak felt strangely homesick, and his heart tugged at the longing for familiarity.

He took this time to really take in his surroundings. The temple was massive from the inside; Jak couldn't imagine how huge it seemed on the outside. The part where he stood was a long stone corridor, a hall, lined with strange-looking statues that represented a variety of creatures. But two of these statues, Jak noticed, had fallen into a heap in their places. At one end of the corridor was something that looked like a stone pool filled with water, but Jak couldn't tell from this distance. He saw what he thought to be a winding path at that same end.

By where Wander and his horse stood, there were two staircases leading downward out into the vast fields ahead. There were also stairs leading up to a stone slab, and Jak was caught by surprise when he saw the slender figure of a lifeless female lying upon it. Snowy-white birds circled the slab, cooing softly. Past the woman was some sort of balcony that appeared to look over the plains stretched out in front of the temple. Jak was startled by how massive the lands beyond the temple seemed. Everything in this world was huge, and so empty. It confused him, making his mind fuzzy.

This younger man, Wander, also appeared most peculiar to him. His ears were so small! He was dressed in garb that Jak could only qualify as being ancient. From the cape to the article of clothing around his unruly hair, everything about Wander screamed _past_. And most recently Jak had been projected into the future, but this was in another world; perhaps even another galaxy or universe.

Jak finally spoke, frustration driving his stern words. "You've gone some explaining to do, kid," he growled as he took a shaky step forward. He felt dizzy, but kept his composure.

Wander stayed at the side of his horse and blinked. He said nothing.

Jak waited, but the silence was going to drive him mad. To him it was a deafening silence, however contradicting that statement may have been. It seeped into every crevice of this temple and every bone in Jak's body. This place seemed so lonely, so quiet. It was something Jak was never used to, and something he didn't particularly _want_ to be used to. But did he have a choice? He thought not.

"Well?" Jak pressed. He was quickly growing impatient with this boy named Wander. He needed to know what the youth knew, if he was somehow destined to be here. He didn't worry about how harsh he may have sounded to the younger man – right now he wasn't concerned about manners. Not that he ever really had been.

"D-Dormin seems to have sent you here to help me," Wander stammered, nervously stroking his horse's neck.

Jak's face scrunched up in confusion. "Dormin? You mean that voice belongs to someone?"

Wander nodded. "More than one person. My take on Dormin is that They supervise these cursed lands. They are the ones capable of fulfilling my wish." The youth then cast his gaze to the girl lying motionless on the stone slab, and Jak began to piece things together.

"Your wish… it has something to do with her?" Jak assumed that perhaps this was Wander's lover.

The boy nodded solemnly, and his voice became steadier as the shock of Dormin's actions appeared to be wearing off of him. Jak still was sort of numb to the whole thing.

"I am slaying the Colossi so that Mono will be brought back to life. Dormin gave me this task in turn for Their reviving her."

Jak nodded. The fog of confusion was clearing from his head, but the kid had still not clarified anything about these Colossi or about the Forbidden Lands. He decided to give up being angry and regretful about venturing into that light circle in the sewers, which had turned out to be a portal to here. He wondered what Daxter was doing now – had he told Torn, Krew that his friend had completely vanished from the city? He had to put up a blockade in his mind, had to redirect himself from these thoughts. Apparently, he would not return to Haven City or his own world until he had helped Wander complete his task. There was a nagging feeling in the pit of his stomach, however, that there was more to his being sent here than these Dormin people let on.

"So who are these Colossi?" Jak asked, his frustration slowly fading. He knew he wouldn't get anywhere by _scaring_ the kid. He would have to work with him to take down the Colossi – they would be companions. Partners in crime like he and Daxter.

Wander shifted his gaze out onto the plains and mountain ranges, trees and mesas. For a moment it seemed like his mind was being transported to another time, another place.

"They are giant beasts," he answered, not looking at Jak, "made of rock and grass and elements of the earth. They look as if they were carved from the mountains, the deserts, the lakes; the very plains that stretch over this world. They each rule a different part of the lands, they each reside there. But they're not all the same; far from it. They come in all different shapes and sizes, with their own means of defense." Wander then turned around and glanced at the idols. "I have defeated only two."

Jak quickly drew a connection. He counted the idols – there were sixteen. He would have to help Wander slay fourteen more of these earthy beasts. "So those statues represent each Colossus?"

"Yes. When one is defeated, their idol crumbles."

"And how are they defeated?"

"Each Colossus has one or more weak points, it's vitals," Wander calmly explained. "Marking those vitals is a glowing sigil activated when I take out my sword. I have to figure out how to get on each Colossus and then discover where the sigil is on that particular one."

"How do you find where they hide?" Jak felt slightly embarrassed for firing so many useless questions, but he had to figure this entire thing out before he went on such a task. He hated feeling like he was relying on this kid – Jak had always felt a sense of pride that he was the one people turned to in a crisis. He was a hero to more than one person because he seemed to have it all going for him, because he saved people. This time, Wander had to guide _him_.

"My sword points the way," the youth responded. He didn't seem perturbed by all the explaining he had to do. "When I hold it up in the sunlight, the beams come together and focus on the right direction."

Silence fell once again, but Jak took advantage of it to think. Both finding and fighting these beasts sounded like a puzzle to him. And yet if it was a game, life or death was involved. It didn't seem like it would be a very fun puzzle at all.

Penetrating Jak's thoughts, a noise sounded from outside the temple. It sounded like thudding, as if someone – or some_thing_ - was approaching. Wander seemed to draw this conclusion as well, for he quickly dashed to the balcony to overlook the land outside the temple. Jak followed suit, and before he noticed anything, he noticed just how big this world was. On either side, the plains and the mountains stretched out farther than Jak could see. To say he was awed was a terrible understatement. The shock of how far the lands stretched could have bowled him over.

"The horse herd!"

Jak turned when he heard Wander's gasp. Before he could register the thunderous hoof beats quickly approaching the temple, the boy was already bounding away from the balcony. Jak followed him down one of the staircases onto the ground and stood beside him as the horses drew closer. He could feel the pulse of their gallop through his boots.

There was a collection of color as the horses raced past. Different shades of brown, cream, gray, black, and white seemed to mingle together as if the herd was one big art canvas. Random patterns dappled the muscular figures of the majestic animals, though they were all large in size.

As Jak watched, one horse broke away from the herd when the horses veered away from the temple. It was white, dappled with various hues of brown, and its mane and tail were an orangey-tan. _So this must be Kyros,_ Jak thought, amazed. _He has the colors of the desert, just as Dormin said. _The stallion neighed and shook its head as it slowed to a trot, approaching Jak and Wander. Various replies from the herd sounded as if they were saying goodbye to a valued member of their band.

"It's Kyros," Wander said, watching the stallion as it came to a halt in front of them. "He will be your closest companion on this journey, as Agro is mine." Jak knew that Agro must have been the black stallion that Wander was standing by before. As if on cue, Agro came cantering down the steps to stand beside his master, nickering somewhat of a greeting to this new component of the group.

Kyros seemed to know who to go to. He walked slowly up to Jak, who suddenly felt nervous around this awe-inspiring creature. The stallion's gentle black eyes settled on its future master, and he tossed his mane again. Tentatively, Jak reached out a hand and placed it on the appaloosa's neck. Kyros blinked softly at him, and for a fleeting moment, horse and new master locked gazes. Jak felt a shiver coarse through him as this happened.

"He seems to trust you," Wander said thoughtfully, placing his own hand on Agro's muzzle affectionately. Jak watched the rest of the herd thunder away before he saw Wander turn to him and begin speaking with confidence, "_now_, you will have to learn how to ride."

* * *

**_Author's note;_** Well, there you have it, the start of our story. Chapters four and five are already completed, and currently I'm working on chapter six, but I don't want to over-upload here. Probably tomorrow four and five will be up, and six within the next couple days, but it all depends. Also, this is not my first fic - the top of my profile should explain that.

So how is Jak going to fare with all the information he has to learn? You'll find out soon enough! R&R. :)


	5. Ch 4: Teacher and Pupil

**Chapter Four - Teacher and Pupil**

"There you are, boy. All saddled up."

Jak turned away from staring out at the lands when he heard Wander's voice. They were still at the bottom of one of the temple's staircases, and Jak was admiring the impressive scenery. He felt chills whenever he heard a hawk's ominous cry overhead, and yet this and the whistle of the wind through the temple's walls were the only sounds coming from anywhere. It was eerie, this sense of isolation and quiet. There was something otherworldly about this place, Jak concluded. It was a far cry from the constant bustle of Haven City, and Jak knew that it would be a while before he grew used to it all.

There was one thing Jak noticed the most as he was observing his surroundings. Light beams broke through strange, random covers of dark cloud, steadily concentrated from the light to a certain point in the ground that Jak could not see. From where he was standing, he could see two of them: one straight ahead and one other shining off to his right.

"What are those?" he questioned, motioning to the light formations.

"They act as guides to where the slain Colossi lie," Wander answered. "Each beam points to the rocky corpse of the Colossus who resided in that area."

Jak nodded hesitantly, growing spooked. There were dead Colossi remains lying about, and in other areas, ones still roamed. Even if it appeared so, they were not alone. Fourteen Colossi still laid in wait for the two to defeat.

Wander, away for no more than ten minutes, had been fetching extra equipment for Kyros from the room at the back of the temple; the one with the stone pool and winding stairs. Among the strange riding gear were what Wander called 'saddles', 'reins', 'bridles', and 'stirrups'. Jak had never heard any of these phrases before in his life. The only things he'd ever ridden were the zoomers back in the futuristic metropolis of Haven City, and those were far different than a horse.

"So you just had all this laying around?" Jak asked as he approached Kyros, who was now fully equipped like Agro.

"Yes," Wander responded. "Just in case anything happened to Agro's gear, I would have a replacement. I didn't know what was going to happen out here."

This was smart of the younger man, Jak had to admit. He wasn't always one who planned ahead all the time. His normal pattern was simply leaping into situations without a thorough thought process beforehand. That's how he had always lived his life; sporadically and unpredictably. He liked it that way. But here, Jak realized, that kind of thinking would easily get you killed.

"Okay," Wander then began. "You'll have to attach your weapons to your belt now. You will need them all the time."

Jak looked over to where the stick blade and the strangely crafted wood object lay. "You mean those things?"

"Yes, your sword and bow."

Jak walked up the stairs, back into the temple, toward the weapons and picked them up. On his belt, he would normally keep his scatter gun. But now he'd have to put these old objects to use. He fastened the sword and bow into two separate loops, providing needed space for each one. But he looked at the feathery, pointed sticks at his feet with a perplexed expression. Jak thought he heard Wander sigh as the adolescent walked over.

"Those are arrows," Wander explained. You shoot them from the bow. I'll show you that later, but for now keep them at your back."

Jak did as told, not appreciating the poorly-concealed amusement in Wander's eyes. "Sorry I'm not an expert with old-fashioned, crappy weapons," he snapped. "Normal people would rather blow stuff up." But Wander ignored him as they walked back down the stairs of the temple toward Kyros and Agro, who were both contentedly cropping the tufts of grass by the stone.

Wander took each of the horse's reins in either hand and led them away from the stairs. Jak followed. When they were a good distance away, surrounded only by rolling fields and sloping, grassy plateaus, Wander stopped. Jak came over to stand beside Kyros and waited for further instruction. He was slightly dreading the lesson, and he could only hope that he would catch on to riding techniques fast.

"Okay, mount your steed." Wander demonstrated by placing his hands on Agro's neck. He then put his left foot in the stirrup and hoisted himself up, positioned comfortably in the leather saddle.

This looked simple enough. Jak came closer to the brown-dappled appaloosa and did as Wander had. He nearly stumbled, finding that he wasn't as flexible as he'd anticipated, but eventually he found his way on top of the horse. He slid his free foot into the other stirrup.

"Good," Wander nodded, evidently pleased. Jak could tell that Wander knew how uncomfortable he was feeling, for pity was visible in his features. But he didn't want pity, and so he felt more determined than ever to master everything the younger man was going to teach him. He silently pleaded that Kyros would be gracious to him.

"Now, to get him going, you have to hit the sides of him with the heels of your boots. First, get him walking." Again the young man demonstrated, and the black horse he sat on began to move forward at a lazy pace.

Jak heaved a breath and then copied Wander's actions. When Kyros started to move, he was startled and his heart lurched. But when he realized that the stallion was walking just as slowly as Agro, he began to calm down. Though he wouldn't say it aloud, this was actually starting to become fun for him.

"To stop, pull gently back on the reins," Wander called, again displaying what Jak was to do, and he did so; but then Kyros started to walk backwards.

"What is he doing?!" Jak cried out, again panicking. The fun was gone.

"Ease your grip! Stop pulling back when he stops walking, or he will go in reverse."

"Coulda told me that before," Jak grumbled, but he put his arms forward and Kyros came to a stop.

The lesson continued well throughout the day, Jak's successes overwhelmed by his frustrations. When the sun was beginning to lower behind the mountains, he was content that he knew all the basic steps for riding. Wander had taken him through the different gaits, and though he had fallen off more than once, Jak fortunately took to it with as much ease as he'd hoped. The two had ridden a loop around the temple once Jak was confident in his skills, and he was amazed at how much he enjoyed not only riding Kyros, but observing the breathtaking scenery that unfolded when he saw more than just was visible from the temple's balcony.

"I am surprised at how quickly you mastered these skills," Wander said as the two led their mounts up the temple stairs once more. Jak was extremely sore from all the riding he'd done earlier, particularly his legs. But he was in shape; he'd overcome it eventually. He shrugged, smirking a little at the praise.

"I'm happy for it," he responded. "When are we heading out for the next Colossus, tomorrow? I'll need to be ready for then."

They reached the top of the stairs and Wander stopped, staring at him. "Tomorrow? Certainly not. You know how to ride, yes, but more than just the basics will be needed to face these beasts. You must be far more prepared than you are now. I still need to teach you how to use your weapons."

Jak was grateful for this new delay. Honestly, he didn't feel like he would ever be prepared to face the Colossi, and he hadn't even seen what one looked like yet. Anticipation gnawed at him, mixed with fear for the unknown. He had to trust that Wander would steel him for what was to come.

Jak led Kyros and Agro to the center of the temple while Wander made his way to the balcony, saying that he would make a fire. There was a small pile of tree branches and bark by the altar where Mono was laying. Jak saw that Wander was using two small sticks to create sparks, where eventually flames would sprout and transfer to the makeshift campfire. Shivering, Jak realized that the nights were especially cold here. He hoped that where they would sleep – Wander said this would be at the back of the temple, by the pool – would shield them from the bitter wind.

"What do you eat?" he then asked, hunger suddenly striking him with a vengeance. He didn't remember the last time he'd eaten – with Daxter somewhere, obviously. _Dax would never let me forget a meal,_ Jak thought solemnly, wishing his ottsel companion was here with him.

"Hawks, lizards, turtles, fish, eels, bats – besides the doves, those are the only wildlife I've come across; and I'd never kill the doves. Fruit is also essential."

Jak winced. Aside from fruit, he would never find eating raw meat appealing. But he was starving, and he wouldn't have a choice for the whole time he was here, however long that would turn out to be. "So… do you have any now?"

"Yes, here. I'll grab us something," Wander responded, rising from his seat by the fire and walking down the steps that led away from the balcony. Jak stared at the flames, which were licking hungrily at the air. A plume of smoke drifted from the wood and filled the air with the woodsy scent of burning trees. Jak was sitting cross-legged, holding his hands out in front of him; hoping to transfer heat to his body. A cover of darkness was fast enveloping the lands, and the sun had almost sunken out of view. It was peaceful, but still Jak could not shake the spooky feeling this world gave him.

Wander soon returned with a fish in his arms. Jak's eyes widened; it was huge! He didn't think that even his currently roaring appetite could finish half of the water creature. Perhaps that was a good thing. Foraging for food would take more time than Jak wanted to spend here, in these cursed lands.

He watched as Wander set up some sort of gadget (which consisted simply of sticks woven together) that propped the fish above the fire so it could be roasted. Even if the idea of raw meat momentarily repulsed him, the smell wafting from the fish's cooking flesh made his mouth water.

Suddenly, a loud rumble shook the lands. Not expecting it, Jak nearly fell over in shock. He could feel the temple quivering a little at the impact of whatever that sound was. Soon the noise was accompanied by a few more, and then a guttural roar sounded across the earth.

"What--"

"It's the Colossi," Wander said before Jak could finish phrasing his question. "They are night dwellers. They stir when approached, but also when the sun sets."

Jak looked at the younger man warily. "Do they… can they come _here_?"

To Jak's relief, Wander shook his head. "I do not believe they know of my existence," he explained, "however strange that is. And if they do, perhaps they are confined to their homes. I have not discovered the true answer."

Moments later the gargantuan fish was fully roasted and ready. Using the tip of his sword, Wander took half the fish and divided that piece in half as well. Jak slowly took his own piece and watched Wander bite into his first. It still smelled as delicious as before, but would it taste like that?

Jak soon decided that when he returned to Haven City, he'd make fish a regular part of his diet.


	6. Ch 5: Love Free or Die

**Chapter Five - Love Free or Die**

Wander's eyes opened to a shroud of black. It was as if he hadn't opened them at all, for he could see nothing for what seemed like ages. Gradually his sight adjusted to his surroundings, and he noticed that it wasn't completely dark. Small fragments of light trickled in from the Shrine of Worship's main hall, outlining those who slept in the back corridor by the pool.

Kyros and Agro were tied up next to Wander, and he was surprised to see both stallions standing upright. He'd never woken this early before, and so assumed that maybe this was normal behavior for horses; promptly greeting the impending dawn far before any human would dream of.

The companion Dormin had sent – Jak, the entity had mentioned his name – was slouched against the wall on the other side of the pool, opposite Wander. The steady rising and falling of the man's chest told Wander that he was still asleep. And yet he didn't appear to be comfortable; he kept tossing and turning in a fitful slumber. Admittedly, Wander knew how this felt. He could never feel at home here, not even within the majestic and guarded walls of the Shrine.

With a grunt, Wander slowly rose to his feet and shrugged off his blanket, crafted with hawk's feathers and wool that he had brought on the journey. He'd given Jak the same thing, but to do so he'd had to slice the blanket in half. Now it was just barely long enough to cover his figure as he slept, but thankfully this corridor was merciful in blocking the wind.

Quietly he placed the blanket in the corner, neatly folding it beforehand. He heard then a loud and annoyed snort coming from his right, and he turned sharply to face Agro.

"Shhh!" he scolded sternly, frowning, but warmth was in his heart for this ebony stallion.

Another snort followed, this time from Kyros. Wander sighed.

"Fine, you two," he whispered to the horses as he untied them. "You will have breakfast at dawn, as you wish."

For it would be a long walk to the other end of the Shrine, Wander lazily mounted Agro and trotted him down towards Mono's altar. He kept hold of Kyros' reins so that the brown appaloosa would stay close. Once nearing the small staircase, Wander stepped off and let the stallions roam outside the temple for fresh grass. By this time the sky had begun to lighten, glowing faintly with the pastel hues of the sunrise. Streaks of purple, orange, and pink swirled among the ominous, ever-present storm clouds that signaled where the two fallen Colossi lay.

The wind as Wander approached Mono's altar caused shivers to ripple down his spine, and suddenly he was wishing for his blanket back. But he ignored the cold and knelt down before the stone, fixing his eyes on the beautiful woman's slender figure. Every morning he would kneel to pray before her, talk to her, as if she was already filled with the life he was giving. It would be a while yet, but Wander liked to think she was always there with him.

"Would you approve of this, love?" he murmured, running a hand through her hair, which was still silk smooth as he remembered. Perhaps she was not so far gone into death as he'd originally thought. "You must understand that I am doing this with good intentions. I only wish for you to return to me. We will live together, happy and free, and things will be as they always were."

Wander's throat tightened as he said this. _Things will be as they always were_. But would they? After this was all said and done, and Mono was revived, would he be able to stay the same? How could he walk away from all this without being changed somehow? He did not know how the experience would affect him – already it was taking a toll, both mentally and physically.

_It doesn't matter_, he thought, clenching his teeth. _Mono will be back. She will breathe life again. That's the only thing I care about._

"What happened to her?"

Jak's voice, rough and gravelly, startled Wander as it sounded from behind him. He turned to face the man and his painful question, swallowing nervously as he got to his feet again.

"She was sacrificed," he answered, nearly choking on the words. "Sacrificed because she had a cursed fate." And this was all he said as he averted his gaze and the subject. "Let's have breakfast."

After fixing a meal over another brief fire (two small lizards, one for each of them), Wander began instructing Jak on how to use the ancient weapons Dormin had given him. He ran through the stabbing and slashing motions of the sword, and how to hold the blade to the sunlight to pinpoint where the next Colossus was. He explained the vitals again, what they looked like and the fact that they only showed when the sword was unsheathed. He then moved on to wielding it while riding on Kyros. Jak caught on to all of this easily enough, but it was firing a bow that posed a much larger obstacle to the foreign gentleman.

"That is the wrong way, _again_." Wander had to keep from laughing as he witnessed Jak holding the bow upside down and on the wrong side, trying to force an arrow onto the bowstring to no avail.

"Damn _thing_!" Jak snarled, looking as if he was ready to snap the bow in half. "Show me again, then. I'll figure it out if it's the last thing I do."

So Wander showed him again, firing into the trunk of the tree they stood next to. The two had ridden their horses a little ways away from the Shrine, straight ahead to where a large tree and cool spring stood among bristly grass. It was here, as Kyros and Agro lazily lapped from the spring, that he was attempting to teach target practice.

When Jak finally managed to hold the bow the way it was supposed to be held, the sun had already risen. Still the man couldn't fire an arrow for his life. Each time he tried, the arrow simply fell onto the ground, eliciting shouts and angry stomping from Jak. Wander couldn't begin to count how many times he uttered a few choice words; his vocabulary was very large when it came to this. He could tell the man had a short fuse, but he wasn't sure whether or not this would be a curse or a blessing in the future.

Wander was sitting at the base of the tree, fiddling boredly with his own bow when he felt a rush of air tickle his ear, and heard the sharp slap of something sticking into the bark. He looked up and was extremely surprised to see an arrow protruding from the moss, not far from his head. His gaze shifted to Jak, whose expression was contorted with shock and excitement.

"Whoa," Wander breathed. "You did it."

The two just stared at each other for a moment before they exploded into laughter and thrilled whoops.

"I did it!" Jak shouted. "I fired an arrow! Right into the tree! I can't believe it!"

"Yes, it's almost mid-day, but you finally succeeded!" Wander laughed, getting to his feet. "Now, do it again. I have to make sure you've mastered the skill before you can get _too_ proud of yourself."

Jak did it over, and over, and over again, each time seeming to bring the man more satisfaction than the last. They changed targets to fruit and random patches of grass. Wander even led Jak to the west over a bridge so he could shoot his first lizard – something the foreigner found particularly entertaining. Finally, by the _real_ mid-day, Jak seemed ready for the tasks ahead, for taking on the monstrous Colossi. But Wander had determined that this last day be spent before returning to the battlefield.

"Where do you come from?" Wander asked as he plucked his arrow from the ripe orange fruit. They had returned to the spot with the tree and spring, and were enjoying, quite literally, the fruit of their labor. The horses were basking in the shade that the tree offered, again lapping from the spring and cropping at the grass. Wander sat with Jak at the base of the wide trunk. All seemed at ease, for now at least.

"Haven Ci--" Jak stopped as he was going to answer, and then shook his head. "No, Sandover Village. That's where I was born and where I grew up. But I was brought here from the metropolis of Haven City. Both places are way different than here. It's like I've been transported into the past."

Wander said nothing to this, for it sounded as if Jak was talking more to himself than answering the proposed question. Instead he moved on to other matters. "What were you doing there, if you grew up in this Sandover Village?"

Jak shot him a look. "Why do you want to know so much?"

Instantly Wander felt embarrassed, realizing that his curiosity was turning into prying. "I am sorry," he said, casting his gaze to his sandals. "I just thought that it would help if I knew more about you. We're going to be together for quite some time." He thought he saw realization dawn on Jak's face, followed by a meager shrug.

"Yeah, I know," the man said. "Sorry. I was in Haven City because I was trying to overthrow its ruler and put the rightful leader on the throne."

Wander would take this. He noticed Jak didn't tell him how he got to Haven City or any other detail, but he didn't want to anger him. He'd best leave the short fuse alone to smolder.

"This is pretty good," Jak said then, observing the fruit in his hands. "What is it?"

"It's called Obela fruit," Wander answered. "It's one of the many fruits these trees yield. There are others besides fruit, such as coconuts and pinecones. None are as tasty as this." To emphasize his point, Wander took another giant bite of his own piece and smiled in contentment as the juice dribbled down his chin. He sheepishly wiped it away with his sleeve.

When Wander looked over at Jak again after a moment of silence, he saw that the man was staring blankly ahead of him. Upon closer inspection he noticed how cloudy the foreigner's eyes looked, as if filmy from blindness. Wander's eyebrows folded in confusion.

"Jak?" he pressed tentatively. "Jak? What's wrong?"

It was another moment before Jak snapped out of whatever it was he'd fallen into. A trance of some sort. When the man realized his name was being called, he turned his head swiftly to Wander. There was a far-away look etched on his face.

"Valus," he muttered, his voice quiet and sounding as if he was amazed. "The Minotaur. It was huge."

Wander recoiled slightly in shock. "Wha—ho—how do you know that?" he stuttered.

"I don't know... I just saw it in my head. It was like a vision: I saw you encounter and defeat Valus. His name just popped into my head; it wasn't said by anybody." Jak looked frightened, like he'd just seen a ghost.

"A vision," Wander murmured thoughtfully. "Dormin must have sent it. They must want you to be prepared for what is to come."

Jak shook his head. "The size of that thing… I don't think I'll _ever_ be ready."

"I didn't think that I would be, either," Wander admitted. "I never know what's coming. So far, each Colossus has been bigger than the last… and we've only just begun." _But I'm doing it for Mono_, he thought.

_Who or what is Jak doing this for?_

_

* * *

**Author's note;**_ Well, there's four and five! Next is (finally) the first Colossus battle for Jak - Gaius. Until next time - R&R!


	7. Ch 6: Anger of the Sleeping Giant

**Chapter Six - Anger of the Sleeping Giant**

The landscape flew by Jak as Kyros galloped across the grass, heading east from the temple. To Jak's right, Wander was spurring along on Agro. The time had finally come to confront the third Colossus, which Wander had said was named Gaius; or so Dormin told him. With each increasing yard Kyros gained, Jak felt more and more apprehensive. He'd seen Valus already, but he knew that wouldn't help him much in preparing for this so-called Earth Knight.

They began to approach a narrow land-bridge, and Jak gulped. Hopefully Kyros would know enough not to throw him off the side of it. Then again, hopefully _he_ would know enough not to steer the stallion that close to the edge.

"Look down there!" Wander shouted over the thumping of the horses' hooves.

Jak shot the warrior a _you've got to be kidding me _look, but Wander seemed to persist, so Jak steered Kyros a bit to the right where Wander motioned. He hesitantly glanced down and immediately felt nauseous, so he slowed Kyros down to a walk in order to avoid motion sickness.

What he saw was water, most likely the ocean, with waves crashing gently against a sandy shore. The beach was enclosed by rock, and appeared more like a cove than anything else. But Jak didn't see anything extraordinary.

"No, look at _that_," Wander said, as he too slowed Agro down ahead. Jak followed the warrior's motion once more and saw a large rock formation. Jak couldn't see much from the altitude, but there were small patches of green on it, and maybe even a fine layer of dust. It was the only object disturbing the white sand, aside from the massive pillars that supported what Jak called the "sky-bridge" high above.

"So?" Jak shrugged, missing the point. "It's a giant boulder. Big deal."

Wander shook his head. "That was once Quadratus, the second Colossus," he said. Jak shot him another look, and then the warrior tapped Agro's sides with his heels. "Come, I will show you."

Speeding up Kyros to a gallop once more, Jak followed Wander and Agro down a curving stone pathway that began at the end of the land-bridge. When they reached the end of it, at first Jak couldn't see anything. The rock overhead blotted out the sun, and it seemed like there was some sort of fog that had settled in on the cove. Once they emerged from the shadows it was clearer.

When they neared the massive whatever-it-was, Jak was taken aback at how large it was. He halted Kyros and took a moment to examine the object. What he had formerly perceived to be a boulder seemed to have what may have been legs and horns. Indeed the object was covered in a film of dirt and dust, with moss sprouting from various places. It looked as if it had laid there for years.

"It is Quadratus's corpse," he heard Wander say from his right, where he had also stopped Agro and was staring at the formation.

Suddenly, everything faded around Jak. The cove, the corpse, Wander, and Agro all disappeared into black, replaced by a dream-like sequence that was set in the cove. He watched as a massive bull-like creature broke through the stone wall parallel to the water and emerged onto the shore. The ground shook with every step its gargantuan hooves took. Horns curved around its head. Its filmy eyes were set deep into the stone armor on its face, but quickly they turned to a fierce orange as it spotted an invader. Jak watched as Wander shot the bottom of Quadratus's hooves with his bow, and the giant faltered, collapsing to its knees momentarily. The warrior scaled the Colossus and stabbed repeatedly at two sigils across the expanse of the bull's body, and then Jak watched as the beast fell to the ground, defeated.

All of this action flickered in Jak's mind as if being played from an old video tape with its film running out the side: none of it seemed to be truly together, he only got snippets. But it was enough to experience the battle Wander had had with the second Colossus.

Soon enough, Jak was 'back' in the cove, staring straight at the corpse of the fallen beast. "You mean _that_ became"- here Jak pointed to the corpse-"_that_?"

Wander was eyeing him cautiously. "Yes," he said, before asking, "Did Dormin send you another vision?"

Jak simply nodded, in awe. He was aware of Wander's eyes on him for a moment longer before the warrior spoke again; "let's go now."

Jak turned Kyros around and followed Wander and his black stallion back up the sloping bridge. From the same spot where it started, there was another path to take, approaching a stretch of desert that was off to Jak's right. To his left, he saw rolling hills of grass and stone. He was impressed by the diversity these lands had. And all of it was home to sixteen mountainous creatures.

Wander led Jak through a path set in the mountains, where even the desert heat could not reach. Jak even shivered as the peaks loomed over them and their mounts, foreboding and forbidding. It seemed like an eternity before the mountain pass ended and gave way to another shore, this time set by a lake. Yet unlike Quadratus's domain (though it was similar in that here also had a blanket of fog in the air), the sun did not reach here. Again Jak shivered, looking around nervously.

In the middle of the lake was a huge platform, rising for miles above the water. It looked like some sort of circular arena. So large it was that Jak thought for sure it must have been crafted by giants, like the sky-bridge seemed to have been. Was it possible that the Colossi themselves built some of the structures in these lands?

"We have to swim out to the canopy."

Jak was startled by Wander's voice, breaking through his thoughts. He looked over at the warrior, who was dismounting Agro by a small cluster of thin trees. Nodding, he led Kyros over to the same spot and got off the appaloosa stallion. He fixed his eyes on the platform, assuming that this was the canopy Wander spoke of, but he was confused.

"I don't see anything up there," he commented, squinting to get a better look. "Colossi are huge. It should be visible from here." _Unless,_ he thought with dread, _the canopy _is_ the Colossus_. But that didn't seem likely.

"We have to swim to it," Wander said firmly as he walked toward the water.

"_Okay_, okay." Without arguing any further, Jak followed Wander into the lake. When he pushed off from the shore, he was greeted unpleasantly by the frigid water. It was so cold his teeth began to chatter, and his limbs quivered as he stroked towards the bridge leading up to the canopy. Everything about this area was spooky – Jak felt as if some giant fish would come and grab him from under water. Thankfully, that didn't happen, and he reached the bridge with nothing but cold-jarred bones.

"I wouldn't be surprised if I got hypothermia," he mumbled grimly to himself, following Wander's lead up the pathway.

They ascended, and Wander suddenly stopped. Jak looked over the warrior's shoulder and noticed that the bridge ended abruptly. Diagonal from it was another stone structure that rose above the water, though it wasn't identifiable as anything but a square-shaped pillar.

Suddenly, Wander leapt from the bridge. Jak stood rigid with shock until he realized that the warrior grabbed safely onto a ridge on the pillar, and was shimmying across the side. Wander skillfully jumped from the pillar to the platform, and hoisted himself up, all as Jak watched apprehensively. The warrior turned and looked at him expectantly. It was his turn to jump.

Jak took a deep breath and steeled himself before jumping, arms outstretched. He grabbed onto the ridge and held on tightly, copying Wander's agile movements; and not daring to look down. Finally he made the leap of faith from the ridge to where Wander stood, and the warrior helped him to his feet.

"Thanks," he said breathlessly. He followed the auburn-haired man a little ways around the base of the canopy and then up a small flight of stairs.

They stood then at the edge of the structure, and Jak was surprised at how vast this arena was. As he'd thought, it was circular. But from the ground he couldn't have imagined how long and wide it was. It was very well possible that the whole population of Haven City could fit comfortably on it. Most of the disk was hardened dirt, but in the middle there was a circle of stone.

Something then caught Jak's eye. On the opposite side of the canopy there was a large pile of rock and rubble, the only thing on the platform. Jak was reminded immediately of Quadratus's corpse. He could see no Colossus here, and he cast Wander a questioning glance.

"You sure you didn't already kill this thing?" he questioned, puzzled. "It looks like—" He was cut off as a rumble filled the air. Jak looked away from Wander, and panic seized him at what he saw.

The mound of rock and rubble was moving.

Jak was frozen in terror as the mass stirred, rising many yards above him and taking a humanoid shape. Chunks of stone and debris rained down onto the canopy. Jak slowly lifted his head as the giant stood at its full height, but in order to see the top of the Colossus's head he had to bring his neck back a ways. So this was Gaius. And no, he was most certainly not dead.

The Colossus wore a crude armor of stone, but from what Jak could see, its stomach and spots on its arms and chest were unprotected patches of fur. Stone spikes jutted from its head and shoulders, as well as other parts along its gargantuan figure. It had two legs, and its feet were orb-shaped. One arm seemed to end in a formation that roughly resembled a hand, and Jak was not pleased to realize that he and Wander were just barely half the size of one of Gaius's fingers. The other – Jak observed to his horror – ended in a massive stone pillar. _The Colossus had a sword for an arm._

As if its size wasn't enough of a weapon.

When Jak lowered his neck, he saw that Wander had already taken off running toward Gaius's feet. He steeled himself before also charging ahead, glancing up to keep a watchful eye on the Colossus. He saw, however, that the Colossus's sword arm was raised high above its head, poised to strike.

It came down swiftly. Jak swore and dove to his right as the impact jarred the stone platform and a massive _crash_ filled the foggy air. He was thrown a few feet forward. He hesitantly lifted his head and noticed that the sword was buried into the dirt around the platform. As the Colossus struggled to free it, Jak noticed that now the top of the sword acted as a ramp leading to Gaius's arms, which, unlike its legs, were not made of stone but of fur. This was the only plausible way Jak could see to climb the Colossus.

Immediately he jumped to his feet and ran forward, not wanting the window of opportunity to slip away.

"Wander!" He yelled to the younger man, who was just getting his bearings. "Climb the sword!"

Not waiting for a response, Jak reached the makeshift ramp and started to ascend. He suddenly felt movement under his feet, and was forced to stop as Gaius lifted its sword-arm. He promptly lost his balance and was thrown to the side. Grappling for anything to stop his fall, Jak grabbed onto the side of the sword and was left dangling as Gaius lifted its arm higher, higher.

The ground slipped away and the Colossus's face was now much closer. Jak could see Gaius in more detail. The Colossus's mouth was formed by two thin and thick slabs of stone, and it even had a small stone nose. What was most shocking were its eyes – they glowed a fiery orange-red, whereas before Jak remembered them being an icy blue. Obviously Gaius did not take much liking to its unannounced visitors.

_What a weird lookin' thing,_ Jak thought briefly, but he didn't have much time to dwell on it before Gaius started moving its sword up and down, trying to dislodge him. In his struggle to hold on, dimly he was aware of a beam of light coming from the ground and focusing on Gaius's thin waist. A weak spot suddenly became visible on the giant's torso, and then another on the top of its head. Seeing now where he had to go – thanks to Wander's sword – Jak felt more compelled to hang on, climb the beast, and get this thing over with.

But he didn't have a very solid grip on the edges of Gaius's sword-arm. With one forceful wave of the massive stone beam, Jak lost his grip and went plummeting to the earthy floor. Pain surged through his joints and the wind was knocked out of him; he was also greeted with an unpleasant crack that told him he'd likely broken a rib – or two.

As he fought to bring the precious oxygen back into his lungs, suddenly Jak heard what sounded like thunder, but instead was Dormin's voice rumbling above the chaos.

_**"The armor it wears seems brittle…"**_

Shakily standing, Jak suddenly saw Wander running frantically around Gaius's orb-shaped feet, trying to call attention to the Colossus. Jak didn't find much meaning in Dormin's cryptic hint, but Wander obviously did, as it looked like he had a plan.

Jak watched as Gaius brought its sword-arm up into the air once more, and as it came down, it landed squarely upon the stone disk in the center of the platform. A thunderous groan sounded from the Colossus, and Jak looked upwards to see that part of the stone bracelet circling Gaius's upper right arm had shattered, clattering to the ground; creating a path straight to its shoulder.

"Quickly!" he heard Wander shout, and clutching his side, Jak followed the younger man toward the sword once more. The two ascended the steep ramp, and Jak had enough sense this time to walk slower. Wander reached the fur first and began climbing, Jak right behind as Gaius pulled its arm upwards again. Jak saw that Wander was headed for the shoulder of the Colossus, which would take him to its head. He decided then that he would eliminate the weak spot on Gaius's stomach.

He kept hold of the coarse fur so tightly that his knuckles were turning white. He climbed further up the arm until he was parallel to the Colossus's waist, and he saw that there was a small platform below it that he could stand on. Jak took a breath and then suddenly leaped, landing in a roll atop the platform and crying out sharply as he landed on his cracked rib. He rose to his feet and unsheathed the sword Wander gave him. Immediately the teal-colored sigil glowed to life once more, powered by the presence of the magical sword.

Jak situated himself in the middle of the Colossus's waist and brought his right arm back. With all the strength he could muster, he stabbed it into the sigil. Black liquid streamed from the wound, likely the beast's blood. This elicited a roar of pain from the Colossus, accompanied by another as Wander went to work on the weak spot atop its head. Jak stabbed again and again, cloaked in Gaius's blood, but he didn't stop.

Finally he felt the Colossus stumble, and the sigil disappeared. Gaius fell to its knees, and Jak quickly jumped off as the giant began to fall forward onto its stomach. Jak landed on the platform, his insides throbbing, and watched as Gaius faltered and landed face first on the stone. They had toppled the giant.

Jak looked around for Wander, and saw him laying a few yards away. As he slowly walked toward the auburn-haired man, suddenly he was aware of black tendrils spewing from Gaius's head wound, hovering briefly above Wander and then embedding into his body. Jak released a strangled cry of shock; was this supposed to happen? He looked around for any more of the tendrils, but none came for him. All he saw was Gaius's fallen figure, which was quickly being enveloped in a black film.

Jak suddenly felt extremely weak and he stumbled to his knees, his vision blurring. It wasn't long before he drifted into a dark slumber.

* * *

**_Author's note; _**Wow, it's been a long time, guys! So sorry for leaving you hanging - the pressures of school combined with my fading muse kept me from updating this story. But finally I'm back, and with more motivation for finishing this story.

Along with my return, there will also be some changes. I've decided that _Worlds Collided_ will no longer be a trilogy, but just one book. I feel it is better this way and I'm sure you will appreciate it. That being said, you can disregard anything mentioned in the opening notes of this fanfic that says how the story will be changed. It won't be changed, aside from Jak helping Wander slay the Colossi. Again, it is probably better this way.

I would like to thank AlexxJunder and Miyuki-ice-fox for reviewing! Sorry for keeping you waiting so long! Hope you enjoyed the first Colossus battle, and there will be many more to come. Until next time!


	8. Ch 7: Guiding Graves

**Chapter Seven – Guiding Graves**

Everything was black in Wander's world. How long it had been that way, he wasn't sure. It felt like years that his eyes had been closed. Dimly he was aware of sounds and the feeling of cold stone below him. In his ears came the ominous sound of the wind, and… horses' hooves?

The young man slowly opened his eyes, realizing he was face down on a stone floor. His mind was shrouded with confusion, and he hadn't quite come to his senses as he slowly raised his head. Out of the corner of his eye he caught a movement, and he glanced over to quickly catch a glimpse of some shadowy figure standing over him – no, there were three of them. Startled, Wander flipped over onto his back and leapt to his feet, but in an instant the apparitions were gone, and he realized he was back in the Shrine of Worship.

It was the third time he had been knocked out after a Colossus battle, and the third time he'd woken up in the ancient temple, with no explanation as to how he got there. Seeing those ghostly figures, though – that was something new. It unsettled him. What were they, or _who?_ Just when he'd thought he had the Forbidden Lands and Dormin figured out, another curveball was thrown at him. And he was not even halfway done with his task. He looked beside him to see Jak – in his confusion he'd nearly forgotten that he was not alone now – also rising to his feet, looking around with a baffled expression. Agro and Kyros were standing calmly by one of the stairways leading down to the grass.

"What the hell?" Jak exclaimed, his arms spread out at his sides. He turned to Wander. "How did we get back here? How did the horses know to come back here? What happened? First I saw you get pummeled by those freaky black… tentacle things, and then I passed out! How long have I been out? How long have _you_ been out?" Jak suddenly looked down at himself and pressed his hands against his stomach. "And why do I feel fine? I swear when I fell back there I broke a couple ribs, but nothing's out of place at all. How does _that _work?"

"I do not know!" Wander cried, tired of the barrage of questions. "I do not know any of those answers, alright? I don't know much more about this quest than you do. I wish I did, but I don't. These lands and Dormin… they are all mysteries to me." He paused. "I do know, however, that Dormin has healed me after I defeated the other Colossi. That's why you feel fine."

Jak looked pleased at this. "Well that's pretty sweet, I guess."

Wander couldn't disagree, but he felt apprehensive. He felt as if there was a sense of urgency about Dormin, that the entities wanted this task to be done as soon as possible. Wander did as well, but… something nagged at the back of his mind. He couldn't think of a good reason why They would want him to hurry, and by bringing Jak here, They certainly went through great lengths to get things in motion.

To his left, suddenly beams of light shone through the temple. Wander glanced over to see the statue representing Gaius glowing from the inside. He remembered this part. He watched as the statue began to crack, and then suddenly in a massive explosion, it imploded and crumbled to the ground in a heap of stone. He heard Jak let out a cry, and glanced over to see the strange-eared man covering his face on the ground.

After the explosion, Jak slowly removed his hands from his face. He looked up and got to his feet again as Wander eyed him, eyebrow raised.

Jak scoffed and wiped his clothes, dislodging bits of dirt and stone. "What?" he snapped, glaring at Wander.

"I told you the statues were destroyed after their Colossi likeness was killed," Wander reminded him.

Jak rolled his eyes. "Yeah, well, where I'm from, when something explodes it usually means you need to cover your ass. Old habits die hard."

Wander couldn't really fathom what kind of dangers Jak might face on a daily basis, but they must have been plentiful. He didn't envy him in that sense – in his village, there was nothing to fear but a drought that would ruin the crops. This adventure had introduced to him a new level of dangerous. And he didn't understand what the man had meant by 'cover your ass' – cover his donkey? It didn't make sense to Wander, but he chose not to ask questions.

He looked up at the hole in the ceiling as it started to glow, and a rumble followed. He readied himself for Dormin's information about the next Colossus.

_**"Thy next foe is Phaedra... In the land of the vast green fields... Rows of**__** guiding graves... It is giant indeed but fearful, it is not."**_

"Man, why do these guys always have to speak in riddles?" Jak growled as he made his way over to Kyros.

As Wander prepared to mount Agro, he looked over at Jak. "Did you happen to see figures standing over me as you woke?" he asked tentatively.

Jak furrowed his eyebrows. "What do you mean?"

Wander shrugged slowly. "I thought I saw… shadows, of some sort. Three ghost-like figures standing around me. But when I looked at them, they vanished."

Jak gave him a look and chuckled nervously. "Um, no, I didn't… seriously man, keep it together. The last thing we need is for you to start losing your mind out here." He mounted Kyros and steered his stallion down the stairway, headed out into the Forbidden Lands again.

Wander followed him on Agro. Maybe he was losing his mind. But something to him seemed very real about those black apparitions. _I'm fighting huge beasts made of the earth,_ he thought bemusedly, _why can't ghosts be real?_

Once Agro stepped onto the grass, Wander held up his ancient sword to the light. Jak did the same. Instantly the two beams of light merged together and pointed to the left, towards a canyon pass. Wander looked at Jak. "Well, let's go," he said with a heavy sigh, hitting Agro's sides lightly with his heels. The adventurers and their steeds galloped off to pay their next enemy a visit.

…

After a bit of a ride, the canyon pass opened up to a massive, foggy clearing enclosed by the walls of the canyon. A curving path led down to a grassy field. Wander looked closer and saw that there were several hills on the field, but they weren't natural hills. As they rode down, he saw that these hills had stone entryways, and he realized that these had been built into the ground. _By who?_ He thought with a shiver.

"Those must be the graves, huh?" Jak whispered, looking around anxiously. "Can you say _creepy_?"

They continued on their mounts farther into the clearing, and Wander saw that it ended up ahead. Suddenly he saw a massive shape looming, and his breathing quickened. Jak and Wander brought both of their stallions to an abrupt halt as the fog slightly cleared, and the fourth Colossi lay before them.

Lay was the correct term, as the creature's back legs were folded under it, and its front legs stretched out before it. As they neared, its eyes flickered and suddenly glowed as it came to life. The Colossus got up slowly, raising itself to its full height, which was taller than the stone walls enclosing the clearing. Wander's jaw dropped in awe, and he clutched the ancient sword even tighter.

Phaedra appeared to resemble something of a horse-like beast. Its legs and abdomen, however, were slightly spider-like. Thin, sharp wedges of stone hung beneath its abdomen, looking like a rib cage. Its horse-like head and muzzle were slightly square, but rounded at the top where stone made a sort of crown formation. Wander saw with horror that this monster was almost entirely stone; he could see green hair along its back, but how was he supposed to climb there? His gaze then rested on the long stone formations that dangled from either side of Phaedra's head. That was the key.

"We have to climb those!" Wander shouted to Jak and pointed at them as Phaedra walked slowly towards them. The other man looked at him briefly and then quickly back to the advancing Colossus, uncertainty in his eyes.

"You mean its pigtails?" Jak shouted back, looking at him again, this time with frustration. "And how are we supposed to get up there, genius?"

That was Wander's next puzzle. He realized he didn't have much time to think about it; the ground shook as Phaedra came ever closer, eyeing the two curiously. Quickly he jolted Agro's reins to the left and spurred his black stallion back in the direction of the graves. He heard the pounding of hooves as Jak followed on Kyros. Both of them dismounted and ran into the dark tunnels of the closest grave. Wander heard the horses' panicked whinnys as they ran about, trying to avoid being crushed by Phaedra's spindly legs. With every thunderous step the Colossus took, debris rained down on Jak and Wander as they huddled in the shelter.

"Okay, now what?" Jak panted, his voice echoing off the tunnel walls.

Wander watched cautiously as Phaedra came closer to the bunker. It had evidently seen the two run into there, and wasn't amused by the act of cowardice. It was so close now that its shadow loomed over the grave and nearly blocked out what little light shone into the tunnel. Wander was suddenly aware of one of Phaedra's legs being lifted into the air, and then equally as sudden he was thrown backwards at the impact of its stone foot slamming into the ground. Shakily Wander got to his feet, and Jak did as well; he heard a few choice swears escape the other man.

"It wants us out of here," Wander said quietly.

"Ya think?" Jak snapped, walking to the mouth of the tunnel. The man drew his bow and began rapidly firing arrows at the Colossus. "Down here, you stupid thing! Come and get us!"

Wander didn't think that making Phaedra angry would solve anything, and he was about to stop Jak when he saw that the Colossus was lowering its head to peer into the tunnel. The 'pigtails', as Jak had called them, were now low enough to jump on.

"Now's our chance!" Jak shouted. He leapt onto one of the pieces of dangling stone, and Wander leapt onto the other.

The Colossus began to lift its head, and Wander hung on for dear life as he was carried higher into the air. He started to climb again, but Phaedra rapidly tossed its head back and he lost his grip. He was thrown a few feet backwards into the air, his arms groping for something to hang onto, when he collided with the Colossus's hairy back. He saw that Jak had landed beside him. Wander lifted his sword, and the light beams focused on the top of Phaedra's head. So that was where its weak spot was.

He and Jak shared an understanding nod. Shakily they got to their feet, slowly moving up towards Phaedra's head. The Colossus tried many times to dislodge them again, shaking its torso from side to side. Eventually they made it to the Colossus's neck, where Wander saw that a small wall of stone separated them from Phaedra's skull.

"Look!" he heard Jak shout, and he turned to see that the other man had located a small glowing area at the base of the Colossus's neck. Wander knew it wasn't another weak spot, since it didn't look the same as all the others. Then what was it?

He watched as Jak grabbed a hold of the grasslike hair and experimentally stabbed his sword into the glowing spot. Instantly Phaedra lowered its neck and cried out shrilly in pain. Wander realized that this was an opportunity to make it to the real weak spot.

Jak nodded encouragingly. "Go!"

Wander did so, rushing forward and jumping over the stone to land on the top of Phaedra's head, which was also covered in vulnerable hair. The sigil glowed to life as Wander drew his sword. Taking a deep breath, he made sure he had a grip on the hair before raising his right hand and stabbing into the weak spot with all the force he could muster. Again Phaedra emitted an eerie yelp. Black blood surged out of the wound like a fountain. As Phaedra shook its head furiously, Wander held on with both hands before steadying himself and stabbing once more into the glowing blue sigil. His hands and clothes began to get soaked in blood, but Wander didn't pay any attention. Three more times he thrust the sword as hard as he could into the weak spot, and finally Phaedra caved in.

He felt the Colossus start to stagger, and its cries became weaker. Phaedra wobbled to the right, and its spidery legs began to fold beneath it. Wander was thrown to the ground as the Colossus fell to its side, defeated.

Wander laid on the ground, panting from his efforts. He kept a cautious eye on Phaedra's fallen figure as it began to turn black… the tendrils would be coming for him at any moment. Sure enough, they snaked out of the weak spot and coiled into the air before Wander watched them divebomb straight for him.

He braced himself, but blinding pain jolted through him. He cried out as the tendrils buried into his chest. His breath exhaled as black smoke. Dimly he was aware of Jak nearby, collapsing on the ground. Then his world was black once more.

* * *

**At long last, chapter seven, the battle with Phaedra! Guys, I am _so sorry_ for leaving you hanging. It's been over a year since I updated! I'm a bad author! I want to extend a _huge_ thank you to those who have reviewed since then: Evilhumour Author, Tony Wildriver, and Drakesword. And a thank you to those who had already reviewed: Miyuki-ice-fox and AlexxJunder. I'd also like to thank keane5, who recently sent me a message asking if I was going to continue. You guys' continued interest in the story is what makes me want to write. _And reviews especially do, wink wink nudge nudge. _So new readers, please review and let me know you're out there, and old readers, I hope you all continue to stick with me.**

**Also, as a reminder to you guys and to new readers (I said this in the last authors' note but I'm not sure if you'll remember), you can disregard most of what I said in the "Intro and Notes" chapter. This will not be a trilogy, it will be one story, and nothing is changed from the original SotC plot except for Jak (and Kyros) being there.**

**I hope the long chapter made up for the long absence! Until next time (which will _not _be over a year from now)!**

**- Monica**


End file.
